Topic: Don's 81 GS1100e happy Suzuki.

[grcamna2]

Thanks again Leino for the input.
  My ignition switch arrived early today, well wrapped in multiple layers of protection however it's cracked through the plastic off/on/lock cover. If I can't use the old one I'll have a crack to look at every time I use my $180 switch. I sent a message to the seller.
 I see the switch on the bike has a metal cover that may swap onto this one. The key didn't accidentally work. I thought I might try to swap the lock cylinders but there are three tiny roll pins holding it on that would be a treat to remove.

I swapped the switch contacts/Base which I bought on Ebay into my original upper lock cylinder;how does your original contacts/Base look Don ?

[Don R]

 I don't know about the existing switch's insides, I just know there's a substantial voltage drop in there, I bought this new switch so I could keep the bike running rather than take it apart. Lately, I've avoided spending on parts only to wish I had bought them later when they are sold out or more expensive. This time I spent the $$. The Emgo would probably have been fine, the ads I saw didn't specify 81 GS1100E.
  The switch looks startingly similar to GL1000 and F2/K7 750. I have one in the new Honda parts box and will compare them once I get time.

[Don R]

 The new switch made no significant difference in fuse voltage, it came slightly damaged, and the seller is ignoring my messages. I left it off. I cleaned a few connectors with CRC electrical contact cleaner and gave them a dab of silicone grease.
 

[grcamna2]

The new switch made no significant difference in fuse voltage, it came slightly damaged, and the seller is ignoring my messages. I left it off. I cleaned a few connectors with CRC electrical contact cleaner and gave them a dab of silicone grease.
 

I know you'll want to look at the condition of your stator windings when you finally remove the left engine cover.

[Don R]

  I'll give it all a good look, I see the 81 should have the smaller crankshaft end. The tool bag came today, nothing says Suzuki on it but it's in excellent condition and I believe it's all there except maybe a plastic screwdriver handle. The T handle was there though. The rubber in the plug socket is nice and grabby too.

[Leino]

Big end crank started late 1983.

[grcamna2]

  I'll give it all a good look, I see the 81 should have the smaller crankshaft end. The tool bag came today, nothing says Suzuki on it but it's in excellent condition and I believe it's all there except maybe a plastic screwdriver handle. The T handle was there though. The rubber in the plug socket is nice and grabby too.

The stock bags usually say GS-M? heat printed into the plastic bag near the snap.

[Don R]

 I ordered a new bungee for the tool bag, it's a little crispy but didn't break yet, a grommet for around the seat lock and the spacers that go in the headlight screws, but I can't get the little plastic washers, time to check the hardware store.
 The tool set pic in the manual doesn't show a plastic screwdriver handle or straight blade bit but I might get them anyway. I have all 12 items that the 1981 e manual shows. 
  I just got off of my car trailer roof, from trimming my neighbors tree branches, I must have low blood sugar, got a little shaky and took the rest of the day off.

[grcamna2]

I ordered a new bungee for the tool bag, it's a little crispy but didn't break yet, a grommet for around the seat lock and the spacers that go in the headlight screws, but I can't get the little plastic washers, time to check the hardware store.
 The tool set pic in the manual doesn't show a plastic screwdriver handle or straight blade bit but I might get them anyway. I have all 12 items that the 1981 e manual shows. 
  I just got off of my car trailer roof, from trimming my neighbors tree branches, I must have low blood sugar, got a little shaky and took the rest of the day off.

I like to have the flat blade,#2 & #3 cross-points keyed to a T-handle(these are JIS)in my tool bag.
I also like the single-sided box wrenches because the flat handle end can double as an emergency tire tool;the trick is to fit everything into one of those tool bags. 

[Don R]

 It's been too many weeks waiting on the APE air filters so I finally spent too much for K&N's. When I sell the 29's I'll move them to the 29's on the Rat Race. I also have a set of nice PD carbs that the old air filters and velocity stacks fit on.

[grcamna2]

It's been too many weeks waiting on the APE air filters so I finally spent too much for K&N's. When I sell the 29's I'll move them to the 29's on the Rat Race. I also have a set of nice PD carbs that the old air filters and velocity stacks fit on.

Don,what have you been running on the bike since when you first got it running ?

[Don R]

 I have velocity stacks on it right now and have alternated with the cheapo filters that were on my KZ1000 before I put a stock airbox on it and sold it, then put them on the 836 with Mikuni's.
 The small K&N's originally on the GS were so shrunk and hard that I wasn't able to put them back on even after being cooked in my rubber softening solution.

[grcamna2]

I know you'll like to see those pods FINALLY arrive to you.

[Don R]

 True, I was just too cheap to pay $200+ for the K&N's. I ended up with a set for $160. I have the carbs for sale, so if they sell, I'll keep the K&N's for the 836 bike. Then I'll get proper filters for the big Mikuni's. They are the same size as the Honda PD 77/78 carbs also and I have a set of those to sell too.
 
 

[grcamna2]

True, I was just too cheap to pay $200+ for the K&N's. I ended up with a set for $160. I have the carbs for sale, so if they sell, I'll keep the K&N's for the 836 bike. Then I'll get proper filters for the big Mikuni's. They are the same size as the Honda PD 77/78 carbs also and I have a set of those to sell too.
 
 

What's the OD of the carbs bell-mouth inlets which the pod filters fit over ?

[Don R]

 1 3/4" or 42 to 44/45 mm depending on the vendors information. 

[grcamna2]

1 3/4" or 42 to 44/45 mm depending on the vendors information.

I have a set of used K&N oval pods in good shape,but they're 50mm i.d.

[Don R]

 I got mine, they came in a huge box with a few dollars worth of stuffing paper. The jetting instructions are geared towards a stock carb filters to a K&N swap.
 I'm going to do a hundred mile round trip to set up a union election today so I'll put the A/F meter back on and can watch the numbers. It will be interesting to see if there is much difference from the velocity stacks. I noticed the bungee cord that holds the exhaust probe in is getting crispy, I'll wrap the hot end with foil. 

 To be honest I'm not that impressed, the filter media looks a lot like what's on my el cheapo' filters, the fit was a little loose but they tightened on well. I have the filter base grease which you don't use on pods and a bottle of cleaner, but no oil.

[Don R]

 I made the round trip to the union hall and back, the trip odometer started working as did the gas gauge, it reads 3/4 when full but that's an improvement.
 When I went on reserve when the gas gauge read 1/2 tank, I was 5 miles from a gas station. It took 2.5 gallons to fill up from reserve on a 5-gallon tank. Somethings not right about that.

 I'm not sure I understand what's happening with the petcock, I removed the inline filter and added new fuel line. This is the second time it began to miss like it's running out of fuel and took 2.5 gallons to re-fill it. It did run a little ragged for a hundred feet within the first mile or so after going on reserve. Next time I'll loosen the gas cap but it doesn't seem like a venting issue.
 I decided to order the 36 Mikunis, I have a paycheck coming for running/judging my union's election. What better use of the money? I plan to check the flywheel this week, then I might be comfortable getting after the throttle. I'll need the push pull throttle and more air filters. L0L!
 The new K&N's will go on the 836cc Rat Race bike.

[Kelly E]

The RS 36 carbs are a great improvement on our 80' GS 1100E. The RS 34 carbs on the 77' KZ 1000 worked out just as well. Of course your gas mileage won't get better but it will be more fun burning it up.

[Don R]

 I pulled my for sale ads on marketplace. Too many "experts" just blabbing all over with their opinions pissed me off, telling me they are wrong for an 1100 16V. No #$%*, if they weren't wrong for this bike I wouldn't take them off. I also said they have the 1.5 slides good for Kawasaki and Honda's per the information in the sticky at the top of this page.
  Not surprisingly, the 29's are even richer with the K&N's on compared to the velocity stacks. I'd be interested to try 2.0 slides and drop the needles but why spend more time and money on the 29's when they will work on one of my 750's just fine?

[Don R]

 The flywheel had spun, it took a bunch of polishing and sanding tool making, then a few hundred laps with the compound. There were signs it had been apart before like Sam said. Maybe not as much care taken on the re-assembly though.

[grcamna2]

The flywheel had spun, it took a bunch of polishing and sanding tool making, then a few hundred laps with the compound. There were signs it had been apart before like Sam said. Maybe not as much care taken on the re-assembly though.

Good that you got to fix it before it over-heated your taper end Don.

[Don R]

 The taper looked a lot like the crank snout on our 567" big block when the crank bolt loosened. We got it off, with great difficulty, polished the crank and bought a new hub for the SFI dampener.
  I only got one of the 3 GS starter bolts to loosen, I red loctited it and called them good, they had been out before too.

[grcamna2]

The taper looked a lot like the crank snout on our 567" big block when the crank bolt loosened. We got it off, with great difficulty, polished the crank and bought a new hub for the SFI dampener.
  I only got one of the 3 GS starter bolts to loosen, I red loctited it and called them good, they had been out before too.

Will you use orange or red Loctite on the hold-down nut for that stator rotor/flywheel ?